Time and again it is proved to me that even the smallest thing takes places only when its due time has arrived. This review had been planned by me one year back upon the sad demise of Nalini Jaywant on 24.12.2010 but its writing kept on getting postponed because I wanted to watch this movie once again before writing the review. And neither could I get a VCD / DVD of it nor found it on internet until Dev Anand passed away on 04.12.2011 after which I checked for it again on internet and got this time.
The word Munim has an African origin whose meaning is benefactor. However, in our country, the general handymen of big businessmen and landlords were called Munim who used to do all the things related to the business or money-matters (maintaining account-books, controlling cash and other assets, dealing with parties and banks and the likewise). The title of this movie is as such because the hero remains in the get-up of a Munim while working for the villain and is called Munimji (respected Munim)by the heroine.
It's the story of Maalti (Nirupa Roy) who gives birth to the son of her wealthy lover who refuses to accept her as his wife and her son as his heir. He has married someone else and got another son through his legitimate wife. Due to his sudden demise, Maalti gets an opportunity to change his other son with her own son and she keeps on living in his house as a maid-servant, taking care of both the children. But now due to the exchange of children by her, her son is called the legitimate son and heir of the deceased person whereas she treats the other child as her own son (i.e, the son of a maid-servant who should serve the master). That son is Amar (Dev Anand) who is devoted to his (apparent) mother - Maalti being ignorant of the injustice that she has done to him and he serves as Munim in the factory of another rich man which is managed by his step-brother, Ratan (Pran). The daughter of that rich man, Rupa (Nalini Jaywant) is the betrothed of Amar since infancy but due to Maalti's exchange of the male-children, she is considered the betrothed of Ratan. Amar and Ratan hate each other and that hatred is increased only when they become rivals for Rupa's love. Amar meets Rupa as Raj and she starts loving him whereas he keeps on meeting her in the get-up of Munimji also saying that he is related to Raj and can act as a messenger between herself and Raj.
Ratan, on the other hand, is not only a spoiled youth who embezzles factory money for the sake of gambling but he is also a bandit who carries on his activities in the fake name of Kaala Ghoda (black horse). He wants to marry Rupa to get hold of her father's wealth but he is already secretly married to another girl, Bela (Ameeta). In the climax, Maalti comes to know that the bandit Kaala Ghoda is none else but her son Ratan only. She tells Ratan the truth that she only is his mother and not the mother of Amar who is the actual heir of their father. Ratan imprisons her so that she is not able to tell his true identity to the world and threatens Amar to kill her. For the sake of mother's life, Amar confesses before the police that he only is the bandit Kaala Ghoda and gets arrested. Ratan is all set to marry Rupa now when the mother gets released from his prison and reaches the matrimonial place to correct her errors and ensure that Amar gets what he deserves.
Young and dashing Dev Anand and gorgeous Nalini Jaywant have played their parts well and their on-screen romance is pretty impressive. Though DevSaab is over the top in emotional scenes, his dashing personality makes up for the deficiency in acting. Pran as a baddie is good like always and he has generated laughs too for the audience through his performance in the song - Dil Ki Umangen Hain Jawaan. Barely 24 years old Nirupa Roy is completely miscast in the role of the mother of 32 years old Dev Anand. Despite wearing a wig of gray-hair, her youth is not hidden and from no angle does she appear to be that old as the director wanted her to look like. However she has performed well. Ameeta as the clandestine wife-cum-accomplice of the villain has got less scope but has performed satisfactorily.
S.D. Burman's music is the biggest asset of this movie. The best song is undoubtedly Kishore Kumar's immortal song - Jeevan Ke Safar Mein Raahi, Milte Hain Bichhad Jaane Ko. Its another version in Lata's voice is also there in the movie. Other Lata songs in the movie - Nain Khoye Khoye Mere Dil Mein Kuchh Hoye Re, Aankh Khulte Hi Tum Chhup Gaye Ho Kahaan, Ghaayal Hiraniya Main Ban Ban Doloon, Ek Nazar Bas Ek Nazar etc. are also quite melodious and impressive. Shivji Bihaane Chale (Hemant Kumar), Zindagi Hai Zinda (Geeta Dutt) and Dil Ki Umangen Hain Jawaan (Hemant Kumar-Geeta Dutt) are also good to listen.
While paying my tribute to late DevSaab and Nalini Ji, I recommend this entertaining movie to one and all. If you are sick of watching the crap being served by several contemporary filmmakers, please watch this musical romance-cum-social drama from the black and white era of Indian cinema and let me assure you that you won't regret after watching it.
